Variety (Oct 1941)

Wednesday, October 29. 1941 Inside Stuff-Radio The Dies Committee baa acciued two unidentified FCC en^loyes as among the 1,124 Federal hired hands charged with being Communists or gympathetlc to lubverslve doctrines. List of suspects was turned over to Attorney General Blddle Sunday (10) by Chairman Martin Dies of Texas and referred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for iurther checking. For some months gossip has circulated that one prominent member of the FCC legal staff was being, kept under surveillance. This lawyer for- merly was with the Justice Department where too frank expression of unorthodox views reportedly caused superiors to grease the skids. Fulton Lewis, Jr., once more has picked up a San Francisco sponsor— the same, one. Incidentally, which dropped him like a hot potato when 'bis name appeared in the same Life article with that of Charles Lind- bergh. Underwriter Is Langendorf Bread, agencled by I,eon Livingston, using the 4 p.m. release. Langendorf has also picked up local sponsor- ship of 'The Shadow,' airing 8:30 to 0 p.m. Tuesdays, effective today (28). Both shows are on KFRC. Langendorf, which formerly used John B. Hughes, switched to Lewis when Hastings Clothiers dropped the commentator, but cancelled before starting, reportedly because of the Life mag article. Used Hugh Brun- dage for awhile, and now returns to Lewis. Meyer Alexander Is CBS's and possibly Radio's only seven-threat man. He's an arranger, composer, accompanist, actor, singer, announcer and choral director. His arranging-accompanying-singlng Is done with 'The Four Clubmen.' ■ He xame-into-the announcer-lob -when-Jackson Wheeler failed-to-shojv- up on time recently and has repeated the chore since. He also aids in choral direction of the Lyn Murray group. His acting debut was made on 'Kay Thompson's Festival.' That was the same week that he had his first two songs published: "Where, Oh Where, Has My Little Heart Gone' and 'Don't Be a Worrybird.' Appeals by WBNY, Buffalo, for Its dialers to write in it 250-watter's reception was being drowned out by new 50,000 WKBW transmitter drew a request from WKBW for a carb,on-copy of all complaints.' Higher- powered station will make all possible adjustments, Roy L. Albertson, WBNY owner, was told. WBNY accepted the request, said Karl Hoffman, WKBW chief engineer, and his technicians now are making the rounds of homes in Buffalo area, re-tuning home sets wherever they can so small Indie can be heard. Although Dr. Leon Levy, WCAU, Philadelphia, prexy, has been on active duty with the U. S. Navy Intelligence unit here, he's still active head of the outlet. Lieutenant Levy takes his lunch hour at his offices at the WCAU studios at which he meets with station execs and discusses problems, approves deals, dictates letters, etc. After the luncheon soiree, 'Doc' goes back to his post. (Naval Intelligence headquarters are three blocks from the WCAU buUding.) It is reported that Wilbur B. Lewis, now heading up the broadcasting division of the Office of Civilian Defense, may return to his post of CBS v.p. in charge of programs long before the expiration of his six months' leave of absence. Washington rumor has It that Lewis is not happy in his present spot what with the plenty of dart throwing he has to contena with from other governmental departments also interested in .broadcast- ing facilities. Robert Fitzgerald has succeeded John McCarten as writer of the radio section of Time mag. McCarten has been switched to the national de- fense and theatre divisions. Fitzgerald was on a year's leave of absence from the weekly before taking over the radio post Researcher in the department now is Leora Aultman. She succeeds Sonla Bigman, who has been shifted to the staff of the new March of Time radio show. Contracts which the Blow agency Is issuing to stations on the Lava Soap (Procter & Gamble) campaign calls for a rate protection of 14 months. Arrangement that is generally in effect in the trade limits such protection to 52 weeks. . The I^ava campaign started the week of Oct. 17 and the agency has In* lerted ai clause in Its orders on the business which reserves for it the privilege of continuing under the same rate until Dec. 31, 1042. There will not be any delayed broadcasts a la discs on the hookup which Coca-Cola will have on Mutual starting Nov. 3. Beverage account has laid down the policy that if a sUtion in the 118-unit link can't carry the live broadcast it will have to do without the program. One of the reasons for this stand is that Coca-Cola doesn't want to take a chance on listeners con- fusing the Mutual series with the Coca-Cola musical transcriptions that have for the past three years been underwritten by local bottlers. Rltz Bros., currently on a personal appearance tour, are talking about building a radio show for themselves and- recording it with a view to having the disc used by their agent for auditioning purposes. The team's radio experience has been confined to some guest shots on network com- mercials. Gerard Darrow, nine-year-old boy wondef on the Joe Cowan 'Quiz Kids' programs for Alka Seltzer, is to be the master of ceremonies on the Treas- ury Show of Nov. 18. This will have a 'youth' angle all the way. Walt Disney will also be on show. • YOUR HOME V • YOUR STUDIO ooBWaMl to MM at Mr* SHERmHn SqUHRE STUDIOS IMWMTSrdStrMt Sovndproef wolb —24.>-hour iwltdiboard urvlce. Broodway uibway' axprMi itatlon, but and lurfiu* llntt—on* block. tlltM,iattlM«tltM<l«tll $«0 2 iNit, KHdNttH M< latk.. $75 fiORDON $. BRAISUN. Inc. IBEW ORGANIZERS BUSY 10-Day Convention of Union Held In St. Loots Apparel Merchants Big Time Bayers in Seattle; One Daily Hits at 6 AJU Seattle, Oct. 28. KOL has sold Lundquist-Lilly, men's clothiers, an early morning show, running from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. titled 'Headlines on Parade.' Airs six times weekly and - Is done straight—not a waker-upper show. Franklin's apparel shop has gone all out on the Mutual station, signing up for 11 programs a week, plus two spots daily. Morning show, "Stories True to Life,' goes five times a week, 16 niinutes; with Saturday morning period given over to music. Evening show, four times. Is "Dance Time,' with Friday night half-hour mystery 'When Crime Strikes' topping off. Store confines its radio advertising to KOL, and station reps brag about results achieved. Broadcast Technicians Unit, radio branch of the International Brother- hood of Electrical Workers (AFL) has recently signed contracts with WBYN, Brooklyn, and WPAT, Pat erson, N. J. Former deal, covering seven engineers, provides for blanket raises of 15%. Latter deal also calls for wage Increases. Union's demands for a new contract at WABC, Co lumbia's key station in New York, are now being arbitrated, after lengthy but unsuccessful, negotiations. IBEW is also preparing, to dicker with sev eral recording companies. Lester Hatfield, BTU president, and Fred Jessee, recording secretary, left last week to attend the national convention of the IBEW in St. Louis, scheduled to continue 10 days. Ses- sions are held every four years. Also attending will be Russ Rennaker, the union's national organizer. RADIO S5 Walter King Wins Restoration at WINS American Federation of Radio Artists won an American Arbitration Assn. verdict yesterday (Tuesday) from WINS, Hearst station in New York, Involving the disputed dis- charge of Walter King, an an- nouncer. Under the terms of the decision, the outlet, must pay the spieler full salary for the four weeks', layoff. Amount Involved Is about $200. Dispute was over interpretation of the union's contract with the station. Pact gives WIND the right to Are announcers only on grounds of in- subordination, drunkenness, incom- petence, etc, or because of a 'change in station policy.' No question of any of the former charges were in- volved, but WINS claimed a decrease in the announcer staff constituted a 'change in station policy,' so dropped King. Three-man impartial panel ap- pointed by the AAA to hear the case included Eustece Seligman, attorney; Don Shaw, general manager of WMCA, New York, and James Sau- ter, ■ of—Air- Features,- service-office for Blackett-Sample-Hummert's New York office. Henry Jaffe, AFRA at- torney, represented King. Three NBC pageboys in New York have been promoted, Francis J. Donnelly, Jr., becomes clerk In treasurer's oSloe; Walter X. Hyd* ■ clerk in auditing dlvlilon, and Rob- ert Larrabura goes to b« traffic clerk in the Intemational shortwave dt- Authorities, Complaining Sportsmen Thresh Out Views Over WCCOJpls. TRY AGAIN WGB Baa New Sponsored 30- Mlnnte Amatenr Program Buffalo, Oct. 28. Revival of the amateur thing Is being attempted here by WGR. ' It has 30-minute tyro revue back on air Sundays for Levy's jewelers. Billy Keaton is m. c. of session piped from a local hall. Tyros are shooting at $100 first prize and another $100 in smaller bits at end of seven-week run. Spout sor has installed switchboard in his store to count votes a la Bowes. ICE HOCKEY IN TEXAS, BROADCASTS MKGKO Fort Worth, Oct. 28. SUtion KGKO has contract with the local Ice Hockey Association to air 50 hockey games beginning Nov. 5 on an exclusive basis. Contract covers all 'at home' games by the Fort Worth Rangers. Sponsorship is anticipated. Games will be broadcast by Tee Casper, station sports announcer, from the local Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum, specially rearranged tor this new Texas sport Japanese Version of News Now Hits South Islands Tokyo, Sept 14. South Sea islands under Japanese mandate will have their own broad- casting station, JRAK, from Sept 20, enabling Japan Proper to listen to the Islanders music and also learn what goes on there. So far, those al- lowed to listen to radio news from Japan were limited to the owners of ■hort-wave radio sets, the number of whom !• about SOD all over the Islands. The new move has been arranged through negotiations between the Japan Broadcasting Corporation and the. South Seas Mandate Govern- ment Owners o( ordinary sets will thus be able to tune In on tiie daily newscast from Japan.' ,The new station JRAK will be opened In Palau. Minneapolis, Oct 28. WCCO liere Is taking bows for bringing together In a peacemaking radio program Minnesota sportsmen's clubs and the stete of Minnesota Conservation department which have been at loggerheads for a number of years because of disagreements over policies. In a new program called 'Sportsmen's Foruih,' broad- cast once a week, a different Issak Walton ~club or gun club meets at the studio to hash out with Con- servation authorities their personal opinions on various hunting and fishing regulations. Max Karl, WCCO educational dl- j-ector, acts as emcee on the show and, going about with a roving mike, asks club members questions about rule and regulations and their opin- ions. The mike then is given to the hoard..-Qt:three, experts from .the. Conservation Department who give their views. It's anticipated the board and the club meml)ers fre- quently will disagree, in which casa efforts will be made to thresh out the matter to the satisfaction of all concerned. EVANGELIST FROM WHAS TO DIXIE STATIONS Louisville, Oct 28. New series by the evangelist M. F. Ham, from WHAS„ will include a number of Southern stations. Will be known as 'Our Kentuclty Home Evangelist,' and backed up by a 12- voice male chorus. Stations to carry the Sunday morn- ing airing are WAYO, Chattenooga; WREC, Memphis; KARK, LltUe Rock; WAPI, Birmingham; WBIG, Greensboro, N. C; KPRC, Houston; WRVA, Richmond, Va. Docket WOWO'g Bid Fort Wayne, Ihd., Oct 28. Application of WOWO, Fort Wayne, for a boost of Its signal strength from^lO.OOO to '50,000 watts^ will be heard by the Federal Com- munications (Commission on Jan.- 1042. The application, filed by the sta- tion last March, was to have been heard Nov. 24. Tm just telling you what Fve heard. Colonel. It's alt up and down the lines, too. That NB(>Red stetion in Oklahoma City by the name of WKY occupies an almost impregnable position with listen- ers in its market "The fact is. Colonel, that WKY is one of the highest-ranking stations in the country from a program-rating stand- point Among NBC-Red stations in 31 of the nation's most important markets —pretty fast company, you'll admit— WKY leads them all in program rating from 3 to 5 p. m. Ifi in second place from 7 to 9 p. m. and -in third place from 9 to 11 a.m. as well as I to 3 p.m. At no time, morning, afternoon or night does it rank lower than seventh among these 31 outstanding stations. Nor does any other Oklahoma City station come close to WKY's rating at any time of day, "Hadn't we better line up with this WKY outfit Colonel? They ought to be a pretty potent force to have on our side." OKLAHOMA C!TV Ri-:i'Ki-:si-.N 1 i.n i;v iiii K\i/ .-Ni.i ;\